KOCHI: Ophthalmologists at a Kochi hospital used a tooth harvested from a patient who had lost vision in both eyes, fixed lens in it and then transplanted it into the eye to restore vision.
A 49-year-old woman had lost vision in both eyes due to a condition called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, that is usually caused due to severe drug allergy or infections and destroys the eye surface and cornea. She underwent several surgeries, but it did not help in restoring her vision. A usual corneal transplant is not successful in these patients. So, doctors at Giridhar Eye Institute here decided to proceed with tooth in eye surgery or Modified Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (MOOKP), a complex multidisciplinary procedure that involves fixing a synthetic lens (optic cylinder) into a tooth harvested from a patient and transplanting it onto the eye to restore vision.
Following the MOOKP surgery, she regained her vision and is now able to continue with her normal activities.
"We have a well-equipped ophthalmology operation theatre with machines and instruments specific for MOOKP to carry out the complex surgery”, Dr. A. Giridhar, Medical Director, Giridhar Eye Institute, said.
MOOKP is a complicated surgical procedure and is performed in three stages spread over a period of 6-9 months.
